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Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Tuesday's Overlooked Movies: The Last Witch Hunter

I’ve mentioned before that I don’t really believe in the
concept of guilty pleasures. I like what I like. And I like Vin Diesel movies.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen one that I didn’t find at least entertaining, and
that’s the case with THE LAST WITCH HUNTER.

Diesel plays a medieval Viking who kills a witch queen and is cursed with
immortal life for doing so. Fast forward to the present time and he’s still
running around the world fighting supernatural evil, aided by an old priest
played by Michael Caine, the latest in a long line of such priests who are part
of a secret society founded to aid Diesel in his quest to battle evil.

Naturally, things go south. Seems there’s a plot afoot to resurrect the witch
queen Diesel killed 800 years earlier. He finds himself fighting a dangerous
conspiracy with only a new, young priest and a beautiful witch as allies. Lots
of killing and special effects ensue. I sat there and had a fine time watching.

Two things about this movie struck me. It really plays like the pilot for a
cable TV series. And when it was over, Livia and I both said, “Was The Rock out
of town when this movie was made?” Diesel’s part really seems like one that
Dwayne Johnson would have played. On the other hand, it’s a Universal Truth
that any movie series can be improved by the addition of The Rock, so if they
make THE LAST WITCH HUNTER 2, maybe he can show up then. On yet other hand,
this one came and went so fast, I think there’s a good chance there won’t be a
sequel. But you never know in the movie business.